Jehovah specified that acacia wood (shittah) be used to construct the Tabernacle, as well as certain items within it. He said, "they shall make an ark of shittim wood" and "staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold" and "thou shalt make a table of shittim wood" including boards, bars, pillars, the altar and its staves (Ex. 25: 10, 13, 23, 28; 26: 15, 26, 32; 27:6). Shittim wood is impressively hard, durable and closely grained. Today, its orange-brown color is highly favored in cabinet work. The greek word for shittah tree means "not liable to rot," emphasizing the wood's enduring qualities. Shittim was also a location. As Joshua was leading the children of Israel, he "sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly" on the city of Jericho (Joshua 2:1). Later, "he rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan (Joshua 3:1).
